Walter Beasley: The highest selling recording artist / full-time professor in modern history.

Ready for Love. What people are saying

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

"Throughout Ready for Love, you feel the love and dedication that has come to characterize Walter Beasley's music. His R&B background along with his ability to sing and play saxophone creates arrangements that continue to push the boundaries of contemporary jazz. "Luxury Experience

"This CD is HOT, HOT, HOT! If you're ready for love, then this is the perfect set to help you get it on! Walter Beasley's smooth alto and soprano saxophone language has a definite track record for being sexy and seductive and has turned lovers on for years. Ready for Love follows that great sound and is definitely sexy, distinctive, filled with amorous grooves and impeccable style."SoundsOfTimelessJazz.com

"Beasley shows on this album his openness for other music styles without abandoning his musical authenticity. He is in a class by itself."Smooth Jazz Daily

"Consistently and steadily, Beasley has become the sax go to guy...Tasty work that finds him at the top of his game, you can count on fans to spread the word."Midwest Record Recap

A Significant Effort from a Pioneer Smooth Jazz Artist., March 8, 2007Reviewer: Robert G. Raynor, Jr. (New Bern, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This is a significant effort from pioneer smooth jazz artist, Walter Beasley, that was not apparent from a first listen. But, after twice hearing his rousing renditions of Deniece Willliams', "Free" and William DeVaughn's, "Be Thankful for What You Got," it was apparent to me that this is one of the better smooth jazz releases for 2007. These renditions by Walter Beasley essentially re-invents these songs making them sound better than the already great originals. There are other compositions on this release that are also quite pleasant, and the recording quality of this disc is of reference quality. I would describe its sonic signature as clean, musical, and well balanced. The sound is the soulful side of smooth jazz, and it is quite good although you may have to skip around some of the songs on this CD. It certainly deserves to be in your collection if you like smooth jazz. However, please don't borrow it or burn (copy) it, but buy it, so we can keep these artists in business and encourage them to make more music. I say this because in all candor, I would rate this a 4.5 as this is not the best I've heard from Mr. Beasley. But, there is a distinct lack of new music from this genre, and new music will only come if we support these musicians.

I can describe the latest release from Smooth Jazz sensation Walter Beasley for you with just one word Outstanding!

Unfortunately, it's not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Ready For Love. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

Ready For Love is a pleasantly varied, mix of 11 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly superb artist. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Clearly drawing from what I can only imagine are his own personal experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions of love, and the pain of failed relationships can certainly be heard.

Walter Beasley possesses the characteristic of being able to bowl you over with his talent alone. The kind of artist I frankly just flat out enjoy listening to.

Listen to Ready For Love and I believe you'll find there's not much to dis-like about it. The songs are inspired, the production is simply outstanding, and Walter Beasley's horn blowing is clearly in top form. Of particular note on this offering is his amazing rendition of Be Thankful For What You've Got. If you're even mildly into Smooth Jazz music you'll enjoy this CD.

While this entire CD is really very good some of my favorite tracks are track 3 - Be Thankful For What You've Got, track 4 - Ready For Love and track 8 - Land Of The Sun.

My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 6, She Moves Me. What a nice track!

Ready For Love Release Notes:

Walter Beasley originally released Ready For Love on Jan 23, 2007 on the Heads Up Records label.

CD Track List Follows:

Free 2. La Nina 3. Be Thankful For What You've Got 4. Ready For Love 5. Rhea's Song 6. She Moves Me 7. Miss You 8. Land Of The Sun 9. Sugar Puddin' 10. Why Not You 11. Willa Mae's Place